Used 80-400VR lens, help me choose please

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Alokchitri

New member
Hello friends

I have got two offers to buy the above lens in used condition.

One of the lens has a fungus on the 7th element, otherwise there is no problem. This was bought in 2008. The seller is asking for about $800, though he is open to negotiation.

Another seller offered the same lens with a scratch on the front element. He is asking $600 for it. He is saying the the scratch on the front element does not show up in photos and the photos does not suffer at all in terms of IQ. Is it really so? I mean does the scratch on the front element has no effect on IQ?

Please help me with this.

Thank you.
 
F

fotojack

Senior Member
Personally, I wouldn't buy either one, especially at those prices. In the case of the fungus..........that lens would have to be taken apart and thoroughly cleaned. This would add significantly to the overall cost. As for the scratched lens.......a scratch is a scratch. Why would you pay $600 for a defective product, which is used to begin with? Another expense in replacing the lens in question.

My suggestion: look for another lens in pristine condition. Don't settle for damaged goods. It's your money...you decide.
 
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Alokchitri

New member
Thanks for the reply...

Well, I have been considering to upgrade to fulfill my Birding need, for which 70-300VRII is not that suitable. But as I am on a limited budget, I decided to go for this. More so, being a Nikkor lens it would fetch a better price for me if I sell later and upgrade to some other lens....
 
Browncoat

Browncoat

Senior Member
The key thing here is that both lenses are in need of repair, which will add to the total purchase price. The 80-400mm is about $1,700 new, so the offering prices seem fair to me for lenses in those conditions.

Fungus lens: Will need to be taken completely apart and cleaned by a professional. This is a costly service, so contact camera stores in your area and find out how expensive this process is, as the price can vary greatly.

Scratched lens: I would be very leery of this one. It will need serviced as well, and if the scratch is small and not deep, it could be buffed out and re-coated...and ultimately be less expensive to repair, as it doesn't need to be completely taken apart. Again, call local shops to see how much they charge for this. Sight unseen, a scratched lens is a gamble that I wouldn't be willing to take.
 
AC016

AC016

Senior Member
I think you should take the advice and get estimates of how much it will cost to service either lens. In the mean time, search for others that are in better condition. When you get your estimate back, add that to the price, get the total and compare it to the other lenses you may have found. I think you may also want to consider the fact that other problems may be found with these lenses once they are disected by the service shop. Do you not have a good camera shop around you that sells 2nd hand equipment?
 
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Alokchitri

New member
Well, I have rejected both of these and saved a little bit more to buy a shiny new Nikkor AF-S 300 f4 IF-ED, and what a beautiful piece of optics is it....
 
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pedroj

Senior Member
Alokchitri said:
Well, I have rejected both of these and saved a little bit more to buy a shiny new Nikkor AF-S 300 f4 IF-ED, and what a beautiful piece of optics is it....
Click to expand...

Save up some more and buy a Nikon 1.4 teleconverter and turn it into a 440mm F5.6 great combo for birds and sports..
 
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Alokchitri

New member
Thanks pedroj
I have the exact same thoughts and I have already started saving for a Nikkor 1.4x, though I need to save some more for a good quality tripod and a ball/ gimball head.
The shots are great, thanks for sharing. This lens is really crazy sharp and I can even blow it up from 150-200% without no apparent loss of quality. that's one more great thing I love about this lens.

Here are some Kingfisher and other birds shots I have taken with this lens, handheld: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sroyc/
 
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